


lover's spats

by thangam



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, As in like, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Explicit Language, Fluff, Humor, M/M, cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25132159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thangam/pseuds/thangam
Summary: Tony huffed at him, arms crossed over his chest. "Hi, it's me, your boyfriend, and I’ve been trying to be subtle at hinting that I want your attention for weeks and you even haven’t noticed once. What the hell, Steve? We're supposed to bepartners,”
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 15
Kudos: 176





	lover's spats

“STEVE.” Tony hovered over the back of the couch, the couch giving a lurch against the worn floors. 

“Fuck!” Steve yelped, fumbling for his book that had tumbled down from the force of his surprise. “You made me lose my page!” Steve scowled, dropping the book on his lap. “What do you want?" 

Tony huffed at him, arms crossed over his chest. "Hi, it’s me, your _boyfriend_ , and I’ve been _trying_ to be subtle at hinting that I want your attention for weeks and you even haven’t noticed _once_. What the hell, Steve?”

Steve’s scowl deepened. "Jesus Christ, Tony. That’s what you shoved me for?" 

"I didn’t shove you! And even if I did, you deserve it! You haven’t even come to bed for the last _week_ , Steve.”

Steve gaped. That was what this was about? He had a huge art project due in weeks, his first subject had dropped out on him and caused him to waste weeks of time, and Tony was mad that he hadn’t come to bed? “I was fuckin’ busy, Tony! And that means you have to shove me?”

“I DIDN’T SHOVE YOU,” Tony shouted, and Steve geared himself up for another scathing remark that would make even _Loki_ wince, but-

Were those tears?

Steve swallowed down the anger hesitantly. “Tony? Honey, are you crying?” Steve asked concernedly, reaching up to cup his face, to feel his temperature. Tony didn’t cry in front of him _ever_ except for when he was sick and the fever made him emotional. “Has something happened?” Steve twisted awkwardly to face him, cursing his big body and their little couch as the springs creaked dangerously. “Tony, honey, talk to me." 

"Oh, _now_ you want to talk!?” Tony stared at him with scathing furor, flushed red in anger. “It’s good to know that I have to be hysterical for you to care." 

"Tony, I always care. I know I’ve been busy for a few days-”

“Weeks, Steve. When was the last time we even spent time together without Bucky or Sam?”

“I-you like Sam an’ Buck, Tony!” Tony couldn’t seriously be mad about spending time with _their_ friends. “You spend time with Rhodey!”

“I meant together,” Tony said, his shoulders slumping as he brought a hand up to rub over his face. “We haven’t gotten a second of time to ourselves in _so long_ , Steve. I, uh,” Here, Tony hesitated. “I called Sam, and he said you, Bucky, and him went to the movies yesterday. How do you have time for them, but not me?” Tony looked so hurt, and it pained Steve down to his core. He hated seeing anyone upset, really, but seeing Tony’s face wet and flushed red felt like there was a rope around his chest that got tighter with every word. “Do you really not want to spend time with me? Am I that much of a bother?" 

Steve moaned, sick to his stomach at the thought. "No, no, _no_ , Tony, you haven’t ever been a bother! You could never be a bother. I’ve been busy, baby, with my art project though that’s no excuse. I'm so so sorry, honey. And I always have time for you, though that doesn't really excuse me for goin' out with Bucky and Sam. I'm sorry. We’re partners, Tony, and I lost sight of how you were feeling. I’m gonna do my best to make it up to you,” he promised, squeezing at Tony’s calloused hand determinedly. “Why don’t we go out? We can go to that gay bar over on third street or we can rent a movie cheap and watch it in out boxers together, or we can get dressed up and splurge on dinner with some of those savings we have holed away for a rainy day. Whatever you want.” 

Tony watched him warily, making Steve’s heart twist painfully in his chest. Had he really disappointed Tony so often that he was so cautious at the thought of an actual date? 

“Really?” Tony asked finally, voice weak. “You’re not tired of me or something?" 

"No,” Steve rushed to say, pulling Tony into a kiss that he hoped consolidated all of his feelings. He couldn’t _possibly_ begin to differentiate or sort through them enough for Tony to understand how he made Steve feel, but Steve had always been a man of action for expressing how he felt, not really words. “I could never be tired of you, baby. Though,” he mused lightly, as they pulled away slowly, but stayed close enough so Steve could see every spot, pore, and mark on Tony’s face even as his back protested the stretch. Steve reached to kiss Tony’s nose briefly, cupping Tony’s cheek so he could rub his thumb over the arch of his cheekbone tenderly. “I could do without the scrambling in the middle of the night because you thought of an equation. That makes me tired.”

Tony sniffled, a small smile breaking over his face. “You do the same thing, Steve. I literally bounce on the mattress every time when you get out of bed in the middle of the night to draw." 

Steve smirked, carding his fingers through Tony’s hair. "Our mattress just sucks balls, baby.”

Tony huffed playfully, leaning in to poke his forehead. “We can’t exactly afford a nice one, Steve. The only thing we can pay for is more of the same shit since my bank account is severely depleted sans Howard." 

"Good riddance,” Steve grumped. Even the thought of Howard was enough to put a scowl on his face. The only thing that man had done for Tony was bankroll him enough that he could leave New York and the shitty mansion to find real friends and real people who loved Tony for Tony, not for what Tony could do for them. But _maaaybeeee_ he was biased. Howard had, inadvertently, brought Tony and Steve together.

“Steve,” Tony huffed. “Don’t.” 

“You didn’t like him either, baby,” Steve started but winced as his back finally made a creaking noise he couldn’t ignore. “But I’d be happier to complain about him not twisted around?” he asked hopefully, turning back around and patting the seat next to him. “Sit with me? Better angle to see your pretty face anyway, baby." 

Tony giggled reluctantly. “Charmer,” he said teasingly, flopping over the couch to land in a tangled mess in Steve’s lap. 

Steve frowned. “Tony,” he warned. 

"What?” Tony said, righting himself before Steve could even reprimand him for diving headfirst from the back of the couch. “You were saying, Steve?”

Steve rolled his eyes, giving up. “You’re sitting on my book." 

Tony rolled off his lap petulantly. Steve tamped down on a smile. "Good to know that’s what’s on your mind when you have your hot and attractively slick with sweat boyfriend in your lap." 

"Hot and smelly, more like,” Steve agreed, and then, “Ow!”

Tony gave him a lethal side-eye, scrambling to his feet. “I am a fine specimen for human attractiveness and I will not stand for this slander,” Tony snaps immediately, hair askew and surprisingly offended, sashaying-as best a sweaty and greasy college boy could sashay-into their bedroom. 

“And you had to shove me to make that point?!" 

“Yes!” 

Steve tipped his head, considering. 

"Did you have to use all your body weight to shove me?" 

"Shut up, Steve!”

**Author's Note:**

> hmu on tumblr [@thxngam](https://thxngam.tumblr.com/)! please please please send me prompts and you can follow for some content that I might not put on here! there's a likable/rebloggable version [here!](https://thxngam.tumblr.com/post/622947964841836544/lovers-spats)


End file.
